A YOUNG restaurant worker has been caged for eight years and placed on the national Sex Offenders' Register for life after attempting to rape a female journalist in Chester.

Marcus Edward Paul Allen, 19, stood emotionless in the dock at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday as he was sent to a Young Offenders' Institute for carrying out the terrifying attack.

Allen, who was working at a restaurant in Cuppin Street, Chester, at the time, assaulted the journalist on waste ground by the canal in Chester. She managed to get away and ran to a nearby pub for help.

This happened about 30 minutes after Allen, who had behavioural problems at school, assaulted a man who had also been walking along the canal that evening.

The female, who cannot be named for legal reasons, later wrote in a statement: 'It (Chester) is not the beautiful place I once thought it was'.

Allen, of Liverpool Road, Chester, pleaded guilty to attempted rape and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was told he would have to serve two thirds of his sentence.

Prosecutor Meirion Lewis-Jones said the attacks took place on February 12 this year after Allen had spent the day drinking whisky.

He said Allen, who has no previous convictions, later went to a pub in Grosvenor Street, Chester, before walking up to the canal towpath.

Mr Lewis-Jones said Allen was aggressive to innocent passers-by before confronting 30-year-old computer programmer Campbell Smith who works for the Bank of Scotland.

As Mr Smith approached the Mill Hotel he was confronted by Allen who was carrying a beer bottle.

Mr Lewis-Jones said Mr Smith wanted to avoid trouble and began walking away before Allen went after him and hit him with the bottle causing cuts to his eye and ear.

He said a female journalist then came on the scene on her way home from work and noticed Allen as she walked past waste ground in Hoole Lane, Boughton.

Allen went up to the female and asked her to have sex with him before punching her.

'Allen smelled of alcohol and the female carried on walking,' said Mr Lewis Jones.

'He ran after her. A jogger appeared and he saw Allen punching her.'

Mr Lewis-Jones said the jogger managed to distract Allen but he returned after the runner had left the scene.

'He returned to her and dragged her into the undergrowth,' said Mr Lewis-Jones.

'He forced himself on her. She was petrified and he asked her to hitch her skirt up. He then kissed her and forced his tongue into her mouth. He told her to take her pants off and put his hands on her inner thigh.'

But Mr Lewis-Jones said the jogger returned after seeing what was happening and helped to get her up and took her to the Lock Vaults pub in Hoole Lane to report the incident.

In police interview Allen said he could not remember much of the incident due to being in drink.

THE female journalist suffered a series of wounds after the attack by Allen.

Prosecutor Meirion Lewis-Jones said: 'She has now left Chester. She thought it was a lovely place to live.'

Mr Lewis said she had suffered a broken bone in her shoulder in the attack and was awaiting cosmetic surgery to put it right.

'She is anxious and nervous when she is at home alone. She can't sleep when she is on her own,' he said.

Mark Le Brocq, defending, said Allen had no previous convictions and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and said he was genuinely remorseful.

'He still has no recollection of what he did on that night,' he said.

Judge Roger Dutton told Allen: 'This was a callous brutal attack by you in the early evening in the centre of Chester on a young woman going home after a day's work.'

Judge Dutton said Allen used 'ferocious blows' to attack the journalist, adding: 'She does not know whether she will be permanently disfigured.'

Allen was told that on release he would have to give his name and address to the police because he was now a recognised sex offender.